Only A Game
by upriserseven
Summary: She knew it was a stupid game. She knew it was degrading. But she still played it. She always had.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **Oh look, another Thirteen and Cuddy fic. Huh.

**Disclaimer: **if I owned House, it would basically consist of Thirteen & Wilson, with added Cuddy.

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She knew it was a stupid game. She knew it was degrading and she knew that if she was a victim of it, she would be royally pissed off. But she still played it. She always had.

Since high school, every time Remy and her friends had gone out, they'd given each other 'targets'. They'd pick out somebody in the bar. Anybody. By the end of the night, the target had to have been hit. A number. A kiss. Leaving with them. There were so many ways to hit a target. Remy had never missed a target. But tonight, she would. Not necessarily because she couldn't. She wasn't even going to try.

The second she'd seen her walk in, in that dress, she knew they'd pick her. She couldn't tell her friends she was backing out. So here she was, about to sit down in a bar next to Lisa Cuddy.

"Fancy seeing you here". She instantly cursed herself. Really? She couldn't do any better than that?

"Dr Hadley? Hi." Cuddy looked up and shot her a broad smile before Remy gestured to the chair next to her. "Oh. Yes. Of course"

"I... I'm surprised to see you here." Once again, she realised how stupid she sounded. Didn't she just say the same idiotic thing twice? She wondered if there was any other way to say it, before her boss started to speak.

"I've" she stopped and stared at Remy. "I've never been here before, actually. But, Rachel's staying with my sister for the week, so... I guess I thought I'd just get out of the house."  
"No Lucas?" Remy stopped and looked down at her hands. "Boy, was that personal. Sorry" She coyly looked up at the woman sitting in front of her, who, to her surprise, was smiling at her.

"No. No Lucas tonight. No Lucas at all actually. I, um. I broke up with Lucas. Drink?"  
"Uh, yes. Please." she looked at the bartender and gestured towards the drink she was already holding. "Another of these?" He nodded at her and she watched Cuddy order her drink. "Should I ask about Lucas? Or, should I leave it alone?"

"It's not a sensitive subject if that's what you're asking, Dr. Hadley. I broke up with him because," she stopped and took a deep breath, "I broke up with him because he just didn't do anything for me."

"You mean...?" She tried so hard not to say the word 'sexually' to her boss. She was already afraid that her attraction was clear, and she wondered if her blush at that word would make it even clearer.  
"No. Well, yes. But not just that. I mean, I had no interest I him." She looked straight into Remy's eyes before almost whispering the next sentence. "I can't remember the last time I had interest in anyone."

"At all? I mean, not even on a purely sexual level?" She hadn't meant to say it so bluntly. She hadn't mean to sound so shocked. She wasn't sure if she'd given herself away.

"I've. I'm. There's people I've been attracted to, but I can't be sure if it's a real interest."  
"Oh." She didn't know what to say. She heard someone yelling her name from across the room. Crap. Her friends. She was supposed to be reaching her target right now. She glared at them from where she was sitting and turned her attention back to Cuddy. "I have to confess something. It's going to sound awful, but you have to let me explain all the way through, okay?" Her boss nodded at her, and a lock of dark hair fell in front of her eyes. Remy watched her slowly slide it back behind her ear. "I mean. You really have to let me. Because it's going to sound terrible, but it's not."

"I completely promise to let you finish before I say a thing."

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**Author's Note: **I don't know why I start chapter fics. I'll keep on top of this one, I promise. Reviews are always appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** very short chapter, for which I apologise. I have plans for this fic. New plans. If I go ahead with them, potentially _exciting_ plans. (and by exciting, I may or may not mean smutty. I mostly do)  
Thank you to those who reviewed, and it's not too late if you didn't the first time round!

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Remy took a deep breath before looking Cuddy right in the eye and softly repeating the words "Please don't hate me for this."

"Remy, why would I hate you?" The use of her first name didn't go unnoticed. If she hadn't been so nervous, she would've squealed internally.  
"Because. I've been doing this for years. But never if I actually gave a damn." Cuddy looked at her, eyes meeting for a second longer than they usually would. "See," she took a deep breath, "It's kind of ridiculous but my friends and I? We've always had this... kind of game I guess. We'd walk into a bar and set each other 'targets'. Ridiculous really, right?" Cuddy just looked at her. _Fuck_. "Okay well, the second you walked in here, I saw you. I saw... how you look tonight and I knew they'd pick you. I never intended to try hitting on you, honestly. I just. I just wanted to talk to you. Outside of work. Plus, I figured I'd just come over here, and pretend we hit it off and go back over there. I don't know what I was thinking really."  
She was abruptly interrupted by a reassuring hand covering her own.  
"You're apologising because you wanted to socialise with me, but not hit on me?"  
"Well, it sounds so stupid when you say it like that." She smiled shyly at the woman sitting in front of her, who looked almost disappointed.  
"As far as I can see, you only need to apologise for one half of that."  
Once again, Thirteen's friends interrupted them, although this time, it wasn't anything as simple as shouting her name from across the room. This time, they walked right over to the bar.  
"We're leaving." Drawing herself away from the gaze of her boss, she turned to her friend.  
"What? Why?"  
"You may not have noticed, sweetie, but this place is dead." Looking around her, she could see that the crowd was slowly thinning. She was about to protest when Cuddy spoke.  
"I'm leaving anyway, Remy." She emphasised her employee's first name, "but, you have my number, right? I. I hope to see you again. Maybe soon?" With that, Lisa downed the rest of her drink and walked away, Thirteen's eyes following her every step of the way. Composing herself, she stood up and grabbed her purse from her friend.  
"So, where to next?"

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**A/N:** not the greatest chapter I could've given you, but it was necessary. Sorry! Reviews are always welcomed and appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **I know I've not updated in a while, but here you go! I think from now on, this will be done POV style. Maybe alternate between characters. I've never written Cuddy first person before, so that may be interesting. Anyway, here's your chapter, so read, and reviews would be lovely!

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Despite being out for another five hours, and getting numerous phone numbers of girls who weren't good for anything but a night of fun, it became impossible to not think about Cuddy. Wondering if she'd played along to make me look good, or if she'd meant it. Now, dressing for work, I can't help but want to bump into her today. If there's awkwardness, she meant it. The drive seems quicker than usual. Maybe I did it on purpose. Maybe I wanted to give myself time to walk by her office, hoping she'll see me and call me in. No such luck. I walk by so many times that the nurses are starting to stare at me. One asks me if I have a message for Cuddy. I nervously shake my head and shuffle away awkwardly.

The elevator ride seems to take forever. I hate elevators. I hate the idea of being confined in a large metal box, while it gets pulled up by what is essentially a wire. When I think about it, I actually have a fear of elevators. I rush out of the doors when they open and make a mental note to take the stairs from now on. It's healthier anyway.

Despite the fact that I'm early, I see that the room isn't empty. Taub's making coffee, and talking to somebody I can't see. It's her though. I know it's her. I can tell by the way he's a little on edge. As I walk closer, I can tell by smaller things. Her awkward sounding, but honest laugh. I can smell her perfume. I wasn't even aware that I was familiar with her perfume, but apparently I am. I'm wondering if she's waiting for me, or if this is all a coincidence. It's not common for her to be there in the morning, but it wouldn't be classed as unusual either. As I edge ever closer, I see her through the glass. _Damn_. Anybody who claims to not be attracted to her must be lying. The red v-neck sweater shows the perfect amount of cleavage to be sexy but classy, and the black pencil skirt hugs her every curve in a way that would drive anybody wild. I take a deep breath before I walk in, only to be pulled out moments later. As much as I wanted to talk to her, I wanted to be the one to initiate it.

"I think we maybe need to talk". She doesn't look me in the eye, and there's something about her posture that makes her seem nervous.

"Look, if it's about last night..." I don't really know how to finish that. I can't tell her it was nothing, she'd know I was lying right away. I need to tell her that I'm not expecting anything. But I can't bring myself to say the words that give her a chance to back out of this.

"I'd like to" she pauses, and thinks for a moment. I've never been the impatient type, but I really need her to say something about now. "I'd like to talk to you about this properly. Maybe tonight? We could get a drink or something?" She says the last part slowly, and I can't do anything but nod my head and squeak out an agreement.

Am I going on a date with Lisa Cuddy?


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** Okay, so... firstly, sorry for the wait, and for how super-short this is! Secondly, this is my first time writing Cuddy POV. I'm not 100% sure I like it, but I thought I'd upload it anyway. Let me know if it works, or if I should stick to Remy POV?

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Why am I so nervous? I should not be this nervous. Logically, I have no reason to be this nervous. Nervous. The word just lost all meaning.

It's just a date, Lisa. You've been on plenty of dates in your time. Too many to be freaking out like this. You're working. You need to focus on your work, you need to focus on... what if she was just saying yes because I'm the boss? What if she was drunk last night? What if she flirts with everyone? She's known for being a little... promiscuous. Granted, there's been the odd occasion where I've caught her looking at me but, what if she was just looking? Checking somebody out doesn't necessarily mean you want to date them. Fuck them, maybe. What if that's it? What if she's just interested in sleeping with me. Just for the sake of it. Just because she can.

No. Stop overthinking it. Maybe she just wants to date you. She came over to you in the bar. She told you she wanted to spend more time with you. She's the one who didn't want to leave.

Waiting for her to arrive this morning left me almost trembling with fear. I knew I was early, but I was hoping she'd be there. Irrational. Completely. Realising I was going to have to sit and make small talk with Taub made things even worse. At least House wasn't there. Oh, God. House. He'll find out about this. He's bound to. I'll never hear the end of it.

I don't even understand it myself. What is it about her? Sure, I've found other women attractive before, but I could never have seen myself actually... wanting another woman like this.

Okay. The clock. 4pm. The paperwork. A lot. The... drink? 8pm.

I deliberately wore an outfit I like myself in today. Red V-Neck, just the right amount of cleavage, black pencil skirt, hugs in just the right places. I needed to impress, without looking like I was trying too hard. I hope it worked. I hope I don't look too desperate.

A knock on the door. No. Do not want. If I ignore them, will they go away? I'm the hospital administrator, I can't just ignore them. I bet it's him. He talks. He rambles about his team. He offers up some ridiculous treatment suggestion. He limps around my office as though he's saying something important. I can't listen. I can't focus. I ca only overthink.

Am I actually going on a date with Remy Hadley?


End file.
